Roger Barker

Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science

Roger Barker is the Burlington Distinguished Professor in the department of Textiles Engineering, Chemicals and Science at NC State University and Director of TPACC. He is internationally recognized for his work in the field of thermal protective clothing and comfort and heat stress in clothing systems. Barker has published many technical papers on the subject of the effects of intense heat exposures on fabric materials including exposures to flash fire, molten metal, hot surface contact and radiant energy. He was Chairman of the 1984 ASTM International Symposium on the Performance of Protective Clothing. He is an active participant in several committees of the National Fire Protection Association, which are involved in the development of standards for the performance of protective clothing. He has positions at Cornell and at Clemson Universities. His industrial experience includes work as a physicist in spun bonded fabrics research.

Research Interests

Thermal protective performance of textile fabrics and clothing, heat transfer mechanisms in intense heat exposures. Fabric and clothing flammability, materials response and testing methodologies.

Comfort properties of textile clothing and materials, heat and moisture transfer in textile structures, objective measurement of fabric hand.

Industrial analysis of thermal and mechanical properties of textile fabrics. Textile measurement technologies, instrumented manikins. Assessment of human sensory and physiological response to clothing comfort.

Education

DegreeProgramSchoolYear
Ph.D.Doctor of Philosophy in Textile and Polymer ScienceClemson University
MSPMaster of Science in PhysicsUniversity of Tennessee
BSPBachelor of Science in PhysicsUniversity of Tennessee

Honors and Awards

  • 2017 | Bruce W. Teele Excellence Award, Fire Industry Education Resource Organization

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Publications

Impact of Durable Water-Repellent Finishing in Thermal Liner on Firefighter Heat Stress
Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., & Barker, R. (2024, March 28), AATCC JOURNAL OF RESEARCH. https://doi.org/10.1177/24723444241237313
A new test method for evaluating the evaporative cooling efficiency of fabrics using a dynamic sweating hot plate
Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., & Barker, R. (2022), MEASUREMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 33(12). https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6501/ac84f7
Effects of Air Gaps on Heat Loss through Firefighter Turnout Composites with Different Moisture Barrier Components
Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., Barker, R., DenHartog, E., & Fang, X. (2022, October 7), FIBERS AND POLYMERS, Vol. 10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12221-022-0420-z
Effects of Outer Shell Fabric Color, Smoke Contamination, and Washing on Heat Loss through Turnout Suit Systems
Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., Fang, X., Barker, R. L., DenHartog, E., & Watson, K. (2022), Textile Research Journal, 92(11-12), 1909–1922. https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175211073353
Effects of the moisture barrier and thermal liner components on the heat strain and thermal protective performance of firefighter turnout systems
Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., Barker, R., Fang, X., & Watson, K. (2022, May 23), TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL, Vol. 5. https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175221099947
Field and full-scale laboratory testing of prototype wildland fire shelters
Roise, J., Williams, J., Barker, R., & Morton-Aslanis, J. (2022), International Journal of Wildland Fire, 31(5), 518–528. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF21102
Relationship between heat loss indexes and physiological indicators of turnout-related heat strain in mild and hot environments
Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., Barker, R., Fang, X., & Watson, K. (2022, April 29), INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS, Vol. 3. https://doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2022.2058746
Using a physiological manikin to evaluate the effect of foam thermal reinforcement in firefighter turnout construction on heat strain
Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., & Barker, R. L. (2022, April 29), JOURNAL OF THE TEXTILE INSTITUTE. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405000.2022.2072139
Effects of environmental temperature and humidity on evaporative heat loss through firefighter suit materials made with semi-permeable and microporous moisture barriers
Gao, H., Deaton, A. S., Fang, X., Watson, K., DenHartog, E. A., & Barker, R. (2021), Textile Research Journal, 92(1-2), 219–231. https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175211026537
Identifying factors that contribute to structural firefighter heat strain in North America
Barker, R., Fang, X., Deaton, S., DenHartog, E., Gao, H., Tutterow, R., & Schmid, M. (2021), International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 28(4), 2183–2192. https://doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2021.1987024

View all publications via NC State Libraries

Roger Barker